Brett Davidson

This artwork is simply titled “Ballerina”.

I started with a foam board and drew the image onto it with a ballpoint pen. The idea behind this was to use the pen to push into the foam board and make it a printing tablet. Once I’d finished designing how I wanted my print to look, I mixed block printing inks to achieve the colour that I wanted to use. From there I simply used my foam board to print the image of the ballerina onto black paper.  I then mounted the printed image on foam board.

My idea for this print came to me when I was researching for my Unit 2 folio.  My theme was ‘People’ and I decided that I really loved the beautiful and petite figure of the ballerina, which is the subject matter for this print. Probably my biggest artistic inspiration is the work of Antoine de Villiers; because she expresses beauty in her figures and emotion in the colours she uses.  Ms de Villiers was a major source of inspiration for my ballerina print and I aspire to create beautiful artwork as she does.

Some could say that the subject of my artwork looks upset or depressed because her face is turned away and also due to the blue ink I’ve used.  I’d like whoever sees my work to decide for themselves what they think it means. My sole purpose for creating this print was to convey the beauty of the young woman’s figure and I think it has worked well.

BIOGRAPHY

My name is Brett Grace Davidson, and despite my unconventional name; yes, I am a girl. To put it simply, Art is my passion. I think it is an intensely intimate form of self-expression, to create something that can be viewed by others and provoke deep emotions in them is something special. I’m seventeen years old and in Year 11 at St Joseph’s College where I am currently studying Unit 4 Studio Arts.

My style of artwork is very traditional and conservative; however I am trying to broaden my perspective in order to appreciate more abstract and quirky forms of artwork.  I mainly use techniques such as drawing, painting and print making and my subjects are predominately figures or portraits of people. In my artworks I strive to realistically replicate the image I see through my eyes, via my hand. I wish for the viewer of my artwork to ‘feel’ what I, and the subject of my artwork, is feeling. I believe that this emotion is the only way to ensure that my artwork is memorable.

Almost anything can inspire me to create an artwork. I base a lot of my artworks on my surroundings and the people around me; something as simple as an image can provoke me to try a new technique or compose a piece a little differently, so it really depends what sort of environment I’m in at the time. I believe that art can change people; it is the artist’s job to provide the inspiration for that change and the viewer’s task is to interpret that inspiration for themselves.

Art changes people, People change the world….